Hybrid fashion week is the future of the runway: Fash frat

Many trends popped up at the recently-concluded New York Fashion Week. But the biggest of them all remains the return of the physical fashion shows after over a year’s gap. With the ease in COVID restrictions across the world, fashion events, like many other events, are back in their physical format. The Indian fashion fraternity, which has been busy adapting to digital formats and virtual fashion shows, is hoping that the physical shows will be back in the coming months.They say that in-person, traditional fashion shows are important to boost businesses and mark some action in the fashion industry. But they also add that they can’t completely do away with the virtual shows, and hybrid fashion shows are now the need of the hour.
Amid the pandemic, drive-in fashion shows became a safe zone for fashion enthusiasts
‘One can’t do away with physical runway shows’
Designer Samant Chauhan says that while for some businesses the transition from physical fashion events to virtual shows was seamless, for businesses like his, it hasn’t been easy. “I think digital format worked for those businesses that had always had a good digital presence. Our entire business was from fashion weeks. We used to invite buyers there, get orders after they had seen the collection, and prepare for those orders till the next fashion week. Doing the same on digital platforms has been very difficult for us, so we need physical fashion shows. Also, I believe that no camera can capture the beauty of the physical showcase,” says Samant. Sunil Sethi, Chairman, Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI), says that it’s high time physical runway shows should return, but while following COVID norms. “Physical runway shows have to start now, but we have to maintain a limited gathering and follow other COVID norms. If in the coming months, we can begin with some physical shows, it can help businesses as it’s a festive season and businesses have started to pick up,” he says. Designer duo David Abraham and Rakesh Thakore will be doing their first physical runway show after a gap of a year in Mumbai next month. “We will be following all safety norms, but I am waiting for physical fashion shows to start. The vibe, the experience of physical fashion shows is different, and you cannot create that on the screen,” says David.
Many designers say that while physical shows are important, one can’t do away with the digital format as it has wider reach. (In picture) A model in a still from a fashion film, which is how designers showcase their collection in digital shows

‘Hybrid fashion events are here to stay’
There is no denying that virtual fashion shows can never replace the charm and the frenzy of physical fashion shows but during the pandemic, designers have realised that they cannot do away with the digital format completely. “While I would say that we all need to get back to physical fashion shows because they are a different experience, both for designers and buyers, the virtual shows will still be there. We can only host physical shows for a limited gathering to follow social distancing norms. But we will need the digital platform to reach a wider range of buyers in the future,” says designer Leena Singh. Designer JJ Valaya adds, “I think the way forward is hybrid shows – where one combines the two formats into one seamless yet effective statement. There’s no ignoring the digital world as it has an amazing reach, but what is fashion without the runway!” Designers say that physical shows are important for some collections, especially in couture where a closer look and a feel of the garment is needed. “But the limitation is that you can only put up a certain number of designs on the ramp, so the ideal will be to put some on the ramp and promote the rest digitally. I think the digital format will remain a constant in fashion now along with physical runway shows,” says designer Amit GT.


‘We need physical fashion shows to give platform to young models’
Thanks to virtual fashion shows, models found some work during the pandemic as they shot fashion films for different designers, but not everyone has been lucky. “While digital fashion shows and other shoots kept us busy during the pandemic, there are many young models who have not been able to find that kind of work. Physical runway shows are a launch platform for many young models. We would always talk about young models doing good work after every fashion week, but that has not happened during the pandemic,” says supermodel Sonalika Sahay, who has also been training a lot of young models during the pandemic. Model, trainer and groomer Donna Masih adds, “Physical runway shows are being missed big time. I really hope it starts soon. Digital fashion shows might meet the purpose for designers, but for models, there is no work. Any fashion show would employ 20-30 models, but a digital show or a fashion film can be shot with just six-seven models. Also, budgets have gone down. You cannot quote the same amount for doing a digital show or a fashion film as for a physical runway show. Shooting for digital films is a more time-consuming process with many retakes, which is not the case with physical shows. So I think, we need fashion shows to start like other events, but we all should be strictly following rules.”